Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed exclusive rights tender: T Justin Murray
Buffalo Bills
- Signed exclusive rights tender: WR Robert Foster, CB Levi Wallace
Miami Dolphins
- Signed original round RFA tender: P Matt Haack
Here are the latest details from the second wave of free agency. All links courtesy of the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, unless otherwise noted.
- Greg Zuerlein, K (Cowboys): Three years, $7.5MM. $1MM signing bonus; 2020 base salary of $1.25MM is guaranteed. Zuerlein’s non-guaranteed 2021 and ’22 salaries are each $2.25MM.
- Tyler Matakevich, LB (Bills): Two years, $7.15MM. Matekevich will receive $3.45MM guaranteed, which includes his $1.75MM 2020 base salary. His $3MM 2021 base is non-guaranteed.
- Sam Martin, P (Broncos): Three years, $7.05MM. $2MM in guarantees, which includes a $1.45MM signing bonus. $550K of Martin’s $1.05MM 2020 base salary is guaranteed, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Martin’s $2.3MM and $2.25MM 2021 and ’22 salaries are non-guaranteed.
- Andrew Sendejo, S (Browns). One year, $2.25MM. Sendejo will receive $2MM guaranteed, which includes a $1.05MM base salary.
- Taiwan Jones, RB (Bills): One year, $1.75MM. Jones will receive $700K guaranteed; $300K of his $1.05MM base salary is guaranteed.
- Brett Hundley, QB (Cardinals): One year, $1.05MM. $887K of the deal is guaranteed. Because of the Cards using the veteran salary benefit, Hundley will count that amount on their cap.
- C.J. Goodwin, CB (Cowboys): One year, $1.05MM. Goodwin will receive $337K guaranteed; $200K of his $910K base salary is guaranteed.
- D.J. Foster, RB (Cardinals): One year, $825K.
- Will Redmond, CB (Packers): One year, $750K.
- Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense did not feature too much from the tight end position last season, though the Cardinals did extend Maxx Williams. Neither he nor Charles Clay reached 250 receiving yards in 2019. The Cardinals, however, are eyeing tight ends in this coming draft class, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. They had planned to bring in some for pre-draft workouts, but the NFL nixed those early in the process. This draft class is not viewed to be especially deep at tight end, however.
- The Cardinals also are interested in Utah running back Zack Moss, according to Weinfuss (on Twitter). Moss already went through a FaceTime conversation with Cardinals running backs coach James Saxon, per Weinfuss. Moss ended the 2019 season as the Pac-12’s offensive player of the year, totaling 1,804 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns as a senior.
Before the Broncos decided on a Melvin Gordon–Phillip Lindsay backfield, they had another veteran standout on their radar. Denver was interested in trading for David Johnson, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports (subscription required).
The Broncos expressed interest in the former Cardinals All-Pro at the Combine but did not wish to meet Arizona’s asking price, Jhabvala adds. Johnson is now a member of the Texans, set to collect his full $10.2MM base salary despite Duke Johnson also on tap to earn $3.6MM in 2020. While the latter’s salary is non-guaranteed, Houston’s backfield has become quite expensive. After two years of using rookie-contract running backs, Denver’s has as well.
John Elway and Vic Fangio came to an agreement on needing a better 1-2 punch in the team’s backfield compared to what it possessed in its Lindsay-Royce Freeman setup of the past two years, Fangio said. New OC hire Pat Shurmur sought a “bellcow” back, per Jhabvala. Given that David Johnson was on the radar, the Broncos were undeterred by a large salary in their backfield.
This has created a situation in which Gordon is on track to displace Lindsay as the Broncos’ top running back. Gordon is also attached to a two-year, $16MM contract. Lindsay will make $750K in 2020. Despite becoming the first UDFA to start his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Lindsay denied he will seek a trade or prioritize a new deal. Elway confirmed Tuesday a new Lindsay agreement is not out of the question, but the 10th-year GM appeared to be more optimistic on this front at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
“I’ve talked to Phillip’s agent and we’ll see what happens and what we can do later on,” Elway said. “That’s not a guarantee either way, but we’ll see what we can do later on.”
Lindsay’s agent, Mike McCartney, said (via Jhabvala) he hopes the Broncos will “do right by” his client after he “exceeded expectations.” No Lindsay extension discussions have occurred, however, Jhabvala adds. Lindsay cannot become an unrestricted free agent until 2022; he will be an RFA next March.
After the Texans received extensive scrutiny for the haul they received for three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins, it became known the accomplished wide receiver sought either an extension or a raise. Three years remain on Hopkins’ deal, which makes that process trickier.
Hopkins’ new team has addressed this situation with the seven-year veteran. Cardinals chairman Michael Bidwill and GM Steve Keim had engaged in conversations with Hopkins about his contract, ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss notes (on Twitter).
When Hopkins signed a five-year, $81MM extension in August 2017, he became the NFL’s highest-paid wideout. As is the case with most positional markets, the receiver salary landscape has changed since. On a market now topped by Julio Jones‘ $22MM-per-year deal, Hopkins’ $16.2MM-AAV contract sits ninth among wideouts. Amari Cooper, who has yet to land on an All-Pro first or second team, just signed to a $20MM-per-year deal with $60MM guaranteed. Hopkins received $49MM guaranteed when he signed. The Cardinals have Hopkins under contract through 2022; no guarantees remain on that deal.
Kyler Murray‘s rookie contract makes veteran extensions easier for the Cards; the Texans taking David Johnson‘s deal off Arizona’s payroll helps as well. Teams are not big on redoing deals with three years remaining, but the Cardinals are in a position to accommodate their prized trade acquisition.
Hopkins is set to count just $12.5MM against Arizona’s cap this season, and his cap charges over the remainder of his deal do not exceed $14MM. This deal obviously represents a bargain for the Cardinals; how the sides proceed will be a key offseason matter for the franchise.
We’ve got a handful of contract details to pass along. We’ll start with the latest NFC notes, all via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter:
- Devin Funchess, WR (Packers): One year, $2.5MM. Includes $3.75MM in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns incentives.
- Austin Blythe, OL (Rams): One year. Worth $3.9MM, including $3.5MM guaranteed. $950K signing bonus, $2.95MM salary (of which $2.55MM is guaranteed).
- Peyton Barber, RB (Redskins): Two year, $3MM. Includes $600K signing bonus. Salaries: $910K (2020), $1.14MM (2021). $150K per-game maximum roster bonus in 2020, $199K+ per-game maximum roster bonus in 2021.
- Nate Orchard, LB (Redskins): Re-signed. One-year, $1.047MM deal. Includes $137.5K signing bonus, $910K salary.
- Seth Roberts, WR (Panthers): One year, $3.75MM. Includes $600K signing bonus, $3.1MM salary, $50K workout bonus.
- Marcus Gilbert, OT (Cardinals): One year, $3.75MM. $1.05MM base salary (of which only $150K is guaranteed). Up to $2.7MM in playing time incentives.
- Max Garcia, OL (Cardinals): Re-signed. One-year, $1.25MM deal, including $600K guaranteed. Up to $190K per-game maximum roster bonus, up to $1MM in playing time incentives.
- Cameron Fleming, OL (Giants): Signed. One-year, $3.5MM deal (as opposed to previously-reported one-year, $4MM deal). Includes $2MM guaranteed. Up to $500K per-game roster bonus, up to $500K playing time incentives.
- Kerry Hyder, DE (49ers): One year. $1.5MM, including $550K guaranteed. Up to $250K in per-game roster bonus.
The Cardinals have re-signed offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert to a one-year deal worth $3.75MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Arizona has since confirmed the transaction.
Arizona acquired Gilbert from the Steelers last spring in exchange for a sixth-round pick, and had been planning to install him as its full-time starter at right tackle. However, as has been so often the case during Gilbert’s NFL career, injuries prevented him from getting on the field.
A knee injury forced Gilbert to injured reserve in early September, and he didn’t end up playing a single down during the 2019 campaign. Gilbert, 32, appeared in only 12 total games from 2017-18, and hasn’t played a full 16-game slate since 2015.
While Gilbert certainly won’t give the Cardinals security at right tackle, he will give the club options. He’ll likely compete for time with Justin Murray, who started 12 games in Gilbert’s stead a season ago. With both Murray and Gilbert in tow, and blindside protector D.J. Humphries back on a three-year deal, Arizona may no longer view offensive tackle as a priority for the eighth overall selection.
Gilbert, a second-round pick in the 2011 draft, has appeared in 88 career games, all with the Steelers. While injuries have taken a toll on his overall production, he’s generally performed as an above-average tackle when able to take the field.
Here are today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DT Trevon Coley
- Re-signed: RB D.J. Foster
Chicago Bears
- Re-signed: QB Tyler Bray
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB LeShaun Sims
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: LB Kyle Wilber
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Anthony Zettel
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: OT Jarron Jones (XFL), S Tyree Kinnel (XFL), DT Cavon Walker (XFL)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Re-signed: LB Kevin Minter
Washington Redskins
- Signed: OL Jeremy Vujnovich
The Cardinals will bring back two role players from Kliff Kingsbury‘s first season in charge. Guard Max Garcia and safety Charles Washington signed to stay with Arizona.
Garcia has seen his responsibilities gradually reduced as his career has gone along, but the five-year veteran has logged 41 starts and profiles as one of the NFL’s most experienced second-string offensive linemen entering the 2020 season.
The Broncos used Garcia as a rotational guard during their 2015 Super Bowl season and as a 16-game starter in 2016 and ’17, but by 2018, the former fourth-round pick started just four games and saw an injury end his contract-year campaign. He signed with the Cardinals for one year and $2MM last March. This pact will likely be for a similar amount, seeing as Garcia played in seven games and started none in his Arizona debut. The Cards, however, employ injury-prone starting guards in Justin Pugh and J.R. Sweezy, so it makes sense to have an experienced backup.
This will also be Washington’s second Cardinals season. The former UDFA spent two years with the Lions before signing with the Cards in 2019. He did not see any defensive snaps but played on 45% of Arizona’s special teams plays.
Before the Texans dealt DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, the Patriots pursued the All-Pro wideout. So did the Eagles, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com said during an interview with Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link). The Eagles passed on going deep into talks, however, which makes sense given their commitments to Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson. Hopkins also wants a new deal in the $20MM-per-year range, in which Amari Cooper (zero All-Pro honors). The Eagles’ view of the much-hyped 2020 wide receiver class affected a potential Hopkins pursuit, Tim McManus of ESPN.com adds.
This impacted the Texans’ trade, with Albert Breer of SI.com adding that Hopkins wanted a raise instead of an extension. He is under contract through 2022 — on a $16.2MM-per-year deal that has dropped from first to eighth among wide receivers. Hopkins had also become a bit of a locker room issue in Houston, per Breer, who adds that the Texans may have been reluctant to reward the 27-year-old star because of the message it would have sent. This process came as a bit of a surprise to the Cardinals, whom Breer notes did not engage in Hopkins discussions with the Texans at the Combine.